Blood Test For Alzheimer?

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just gave the ‘ Breakthrough Device Designation ‘for a blood test to screen for the risk of Alzheimer. (C2N Diagnostics)

Background:

Amyloid is a ‘starch like’ protein that can deposit and accumulate in our bodies, it is not good. Upon autopsies, the brains of Alzheimer suffers were noted to have a high accumulation of amyloid. It was the first abnormality noted.

Another hallmark is the presence of neurofibrillary tangles of a protein called tau. The average ALS patient dies 2½ years after diagnosis.

To date, a Positron Imaging Tomography (PET scan, nuclear medicine brain imaging tool) is used to make a picture of amyloid plaque accumulation within a person’s brain. A quote from recent articel in Scientific American ” .. recent studies on the value of PET beta-amyloid brain scans, supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, have shown that practicing “dementia expert” doctors misdiagnose Alzheimer’s in about 50 percent of cases and change their management and treatment of patients nearly 70 percent of the time when this test is used.”

Purpose:

To be used as a blood test to quickly ID a possible cause for those with memory complaints or dementia.

The cost saving for evaluating a dementia sufferer will be impressive. A safe radiation free quick inexpensive screening test can help early dementia diagnosis and treatment.

Philosophy

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